Indians’ Carlos Carrasco, Braves’ Josh Donaldson win 2019 MLB Comeback Player of the Year Awards

Major League Baseball on Wednesday announced Cleveland Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco and Atlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson have been named, respectively, AL and NL Comeback Player of the Year.

Carrasco, 32, was diagnosed with leukemia in early June and he missed three months of the 2019 regular season after making his final start on May 30 against the White Sox. The right-hander returned the mound following treatment, and completed a rehab assignment with the Indians’ Double-A and Triple-A clubs. On Sept. 1, Carrasco made his return to the Major Leagues where he tossed one inning of relief against the Rays, and received a standing ovation on the road.

During the final month of the regular season, Carrasco made 11 appearances out of the bullpen to finish the season at 6-7 with a 5.29 ERA. As a relief pitcher, Carrasco went 2-1 with one save and a 6.60 ERA. At the 2019 World Series in Washington D.C., Carrasco received the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award.

In a world with many problems, it also has selfless people like Carlos Carrasco

And now, for a change of pace….

WASHINGTON — The 10 seconds he experienced, those 10 seconds over which Carlos Carrasco did not know if he would live or die, if the cancer that had come for him would also take him from his children, from his wife, from the world he’d been so busy making more beautiful, those 10 seconds passed. They don’t always.

So he’d said, shouted, screamed, willed, “I may have cancer but cancer doesn’t have me,” because the children in the beds and hallways of the very same Cleveland hospital needed to believe like he did, but also because Carlos Carrasco, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, had bigger fights than a single man’s leukemia. Not every kid gets to ring the bell, the one that celebrates a healthy body and a fresh start and the months and years and pain and fear and loneliness spent getting there.

Just as not everyone is able to rise above their own circumstances, what it is that life has put upon them. So they may not have money, but poverty does not have them. They may be hungry, but hunger does not have them. They may have learning difficulties, physical challenges, anxiety, a whole world that seems to have risen up angry before them, and this is Carlos Carrasco’s fight too, their fight, if they’d have him.

“Maybe they can see,” Carrasco said Friday morning here, “it’s possible. If I can do it, then you can do it too.”

LEADING OFF: Carrasco, Frazier, Zobrist up as rosters expand

SPECIAL RETURN

Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since late May when he was diagnosed with leukemia, will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list for a game at Tampa Bay. Carrasco made four rehab appearances with Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, permitting one run while striking out eight in five innings. He’ll start up in Cleveland’s bullpen as he continues to build endurance in his arm.

“Great feeling, back to the baseball field,” Carrasco said on Instagram.

This will be an interesting day to watch in one regard- assuming there are no changes, this will be the last year of 40-man call-ups, and it will be interesting to see how the teams respond to this being the case.

Indians Plan to Activate Carlos Carrasco 3 Months After Leukemia Diagnosis

The Cleveland Indians are expecting to receive a boost Sunday when pitcher Carlos Carrasco makes his return after being diagnosed with leukemia in May.

Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB Network Radio that Carrasco will be activated Sept. 1 “if all goes well” during his bullpen session Thursday.

Francona added the Indians intend to use Carrasco out of the bullpen for the rest of this season.

Carrasco announced in July he had been diagnosed with leukemia after doctors noted abnormal blood test results when he underwent a physical during spring training.

Carlos Carrasco makes first rehab appearance since leukemia diagnosis

AKRON, Ohio—Cleveland Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco made his first rehab appearance for the Akron RubberDucks on Monday following his cancer diagnosis.

The right-hander threw 16 pitches with a strikeout in one inning for the Double-A affiliate. Lots of fans wore Carrasco jerseys at Canal Park and he received a standing ovation as he walked to the dugout.

“I spent two and a half months away from baseball, just coming back today out of the bullpen feels great,” Carrasco said.